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THE SUN WAS BEGINNING TO SET on Sugarhill, casting a golden hue over the block as another party got underway. The streets were alive with energy, music blaring from speakers set up on the corners, people laughing, dancing, and enjoying the warm summer night. The familiar scent of grilled food mixed with the faint tang of street smoke filled the air, making the whole block feel like one big family gathering.
David was posted up with his crew, a cup in hand, scanning the crowd with his usual laid-back demeanor. The block was packed tonight—seemed like everyone and their mother had decided to pull up. But even in the sea of people, his eyes kept wandering, searching for one face in particular.
And then, he spotted her.
Karma was standing with her girls, laughing at something Jayla had said, her face lit up with that signature smile of hers. She looked good, real good, in a fitted crop top and jeans that hugged her curves just right. Her hair back into a sleek ponytail, and even from across the block, David could see the gloss shining on her lips.
Without thinking too much about it, David motioned for her to come over, lifting his chin in that casual way of his. Karma hesitated for a second, but then made her way through the crowd towards him, curiosity evident in her eyes.
As she got closer, David reached out, grabbing her by the waist and gently pulling her onto his lap. The suddenness of the move made her catch her breath, her face warming as she realized they were now the center of attention. But she couldn't deny the way her heart skipped a beat at the contact, the closeness.
"How was your day, my heart?" David asked, his voice low and smooth, a stark contrast to the usual roughness she was used to from him.
Karma blinked, caught off guard. She wasn't used to this side of him—the side that was sweet, almost tender. Normally, he was all jokes, sharp words, and that mean streak that always kept her on edge. But this? This was different.
"Ehhh, it was aight, I guess," she replied, trying to play it cool even though her pulse was racing. She was still trying to figure out what was going on, why he was acting like this. "But seeing you made it better," she added, half-joking, half-serious, giving him a small smirk to match his own.
David chuckled, the sound vibrating through his chest and into her back. "Oh, word?" he said, his lips curving into a smirk of his own. "You sum' else"
She rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "Don't get ahead of yourself," she quipped, though there was no real heat behind her words. She was too busy trying to figure out what game he was playing, why he had her sitting on his lap like this in front of everyone.
But David just leaned in closer, his breath warm against her ear. "I ain't playin' no games, ma. Just sayin' what's real, feel me?"
Karma swallowed, her heart fluttering at his words. She didn't know what to make of this—of him. He was always so hard to read, so unpredictable. One minute he was pushing her away, and the next, he was pulling her in close like this, making her feel things she wasn't sure she was ready to feel.
